IBM to donate "RUP" to Eclipse Foundation

A lot of words here that say pretty much nothing about the announcement by IBM that it will donate portions of RUP to Eclipse Foundation. But it's the thought that counts..

I've struggled over the past few years to find a methodology that management can understand and accept, yet is well documented and thorough enough to actually work in the real world. The best I've been able to come up with is a smattering of best practices here and there. Certainly most software shops have unique needs that prevent a "one size fits all" attitude towards methods. But like software architecture, there are patterns that typically apply--and it is possible to define frameworks and scaffolding that can be quickly deployed to bring value. This is a big part of Agile's success. It is simple enough to understand and can be articulated in practical terms to be immediately useful. The problem with Agile is that it still embraces enough art and artistry that management struggles with it--not all development shops are trusted enough for agile to succeed.

I hope that "RUP-lite" has enough of the important elements, and can provide the important tools and techniques that the patterns begin to reveal themselves, and management can accept it as a process worthy of their trust--even if they don't trust those weirdos developing the software..